Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-19014

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of running its fleet of Marine Protection Vessels has been for each of the past five years.

Question reference: S6W-19057

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussion it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding the reopening of The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Design and Architecture.

Question reference: S6W-19002

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on the number of people with learning disabilities who are in paid employment.

In 2019 there were 23,584 adults with learning disability known to local authorities across Scotland, 956 (4.1%) were in employment, 10,483 (44.4%) were not in employment and 12,145 (51.5%) did not have their employment status recorded. Learning-Disability-Statistics-Scotland-2019.pdf (scld.org.uk)

The ONS Annual Population Survey (APS) is the official source for measuring the number of people in employment. Estimates for the number of people with a severe or specific learning difficulty (lasting 12 months or more) who are employed can also be obtained from the APS. Learning disabilities are included in the health problem severe and specific learning difficulty. In 2022, it was estimated that there were 13,100 people aged 16 and over who reported having a severe or specific learning difficulty and were in employment.

Question reference: S6W-19013

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, following the publication of its report, Marine and fisheries compliance: list of fixed penalty notices - 26 May 2020 to 30 June 2022, how many individual businesses received fixed penalty notices (FPN), and what the total value of FPNs paid to Marine Scotland was in the period covered by the report.

Question reference: S6W-18822

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will provide a further update to the Parliament regarding the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.

Following the appearance of the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 9 May, the Scottish Government intends to provide a further update to the Committee in early July. The Scottish Government has also agreed to provide an updated Financial Memorandum to the Finance and Public Administration Committee at least 4 weeks before the Stage 1 debate.

Question reference: S6W-18865

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many pupils have taken part in Scottish Water’s Learn to Swim Programme to date, and whether the programme is on track to deliver its aim of educating another 100,000 children about swimming by 2025.

The Scottish Government is not a delivery partner on the Learn to Swim programme and as such, we do not hold this data . This programme is a partnership between Scottish Water and Scottish Swimming, to support a new generation of children to become safer, happier, and healthier through the delivery of the Learn to Swim lessons. Information relating to the programme is held by Scottish Swimming.

However, we are working with Scottish Swimming, Education Scotland, sportscotland and Scottish Water to develop interventions and approaches to provide opportunities for children to become confident, safer and competent swimmers. This includes the delivery of 4 small scale school swimming pilots to better understand how to provide opportunities for children across Scotland to experience the water in a fun, safe and inclusive approach.

Question reference: S6W-18831

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken since 2019 to ensure that NHS staff and other health professionals and care providers are informed of Frank’s Law, and whether it will provide details of the budget that has been assigned for this purpose in each year.

In the lead up to the introduction of "Frank's Law" in 2019 there were a number of discussions between Scottish Government officials and stakeholders which covered all aspects of the legislation. At the time of its introduction the Scottish Government issued advice in the form of a Questions and Answers brief which can be found at:

Free personal and nursing care: questions and answers - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

In terms of funding, it was first distributed in the 2019-20 Local Government settlement and then baselined in 2019 it included £29.5 million is to support expansion of Free Personal and Nursing Care for under 65s. With effect from 1 April 2021 the £29.5 million funding was merged into the overall local government finance settlement block grant and as such individual local authority allocations are no longer separately identifiable.

Question reference: S6W-18830

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the availability of funding for community groups and local authorities to build and provide Changing Places toilets.

We published our Changing Places Toilets: Planning Guide and an accompanying easy read in November 2022 for people who are planning to develop Changing Places Toilets now.

Timeframes and processes for the distribution of funding for the construction of Changing Places Toilets are still being finalised. Further information on this investment will be available over the course of this parliamentary term.

Question reference: S6W-18874

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of any requirement for an enabling regulatory environment, which would allow a blockchain-based peer-to-peer energy trading platform to function through the legal recognition and protection of incorporeal moveable property.

Question reference: S6W-18810

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its Care in the Digital Age: Delivery Plan 2022-23, whether it has further developed its UK and international collaborations, bringing inward investment in support of improvements, and innovations and industry collaborations.

The Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and our partners have an ongoing commitment to developing UK and international collaborations. This includes active participation in European and International networks as well as hosting of inward study visits to Scotland and outward visits to international partners. Inward visits include from the Netherlands, Denmark, Andalucia, Wales, World Health Organisation (Georgia and Macedonia) and Spain.

The Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI) play a key role in supporting inward investment opportunities. This has included:

The AICE Horizon Europe Project for AI-supported Image Analysis in Large Bowel Camera Capsule Endoscopy (AICE) which has seen 1m euros made available to Scottish partners as part of a 6m euro programme
The Northwest Europe CHANCE project, funded by Interreg Europe, focussed on development of promising eHealth applications and nanotechnology for heart failure patients at home.
The £5m Moray Growth Deal supported by UK Government funding

	2018 - 19	2019 - 20	2020 - 21	2021 - 22	2022 - 23
Total	£9,437,564.40	£9,909,706.80	£10,649,192.74	£10,129,334.11	£11,896,000.65